Johor’s solar-powered book bike takes reading to the people

Johor Bahru's Sultan Ismail Library has introduced a solar-powered book bike to bring reading services to the public. The innovative mobile library, powered by solar panels, can store up to 300 books and operates through a book exchange program. Instead of waiting for readers to visit, the bike brings the library to public events, community activities, and eventually, underserved neighborhoods.

The novelty of the book bike, featuring a bicycle-based library system, quickly attracted attention, with people excited about the opportunity to obtain a free book. The library aims to prevent people from taking books solely to resell them online or send them to recycling centers. The book bike's collection mainly consists of fiction and general-interest non-fiction.

The library plans to expand the book bike's reach to kampung communities in November, partnering with NGOs like Happy Riders Connect to support existing community reading kiosks and activities. The initiative seeks to bring library services to the people, particularly in outlying and underserved communities, and transform libraries into community spaces where people can gather, discuss ideas, and participate in activities.